Posts Tagged ‘International Buyer Program’

Jesse M. Lapierre is the Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

International CES 2015 represented the perfect nexus of American innovation and global participation, with over 160,000 visitors and 2 million square feet of the newest and most innovative products limited not just to consumer electronics, but representing a whole new world of human and technological interaction. As a part of Commerce’s International Buyer Program (IBP), our US Ambassador and I led a delegation of 45 Saudi companies to the show, and came away with some seriously groundbreaking mega-trends which I’d like to share with the ITA blogosphere.

U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Joseph W. Westphal, at breakfast with the delegation of Saudi Arabian companies brought to the International Electronics Show on January 8, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program (IBP).

The IBP is a joint government-industry effort that brings thousands of international buyers to the United States for business-to-business matchmaking with U.S. firms exhibiting at major industry trade shows. Every year, the IBP results in approximately a billion dollars in new business for U.S. companies, and increased international attendance for participating U.S. trade show organizers.

The first, and most ubiquitous, mega-trend was that of the Internet of Everything (IoE), which was described in great detail by Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich. In his view, we are now on the cusp of a revolution of roughly the same magnitude as the one in micro-processing that brought us the smartphones, laptops, and tablets that drive our mobile society. This current revolution is the result of the convergence of nano-sized chips, sensors, and transmitters which will enable the world to react to the individual, and vice-versa, with new levels of integration never seen in our lifetime. He highlighted the level of integration by examples of pills that can tell doctors when they’ve been swallowed; doors that open when the see the face of the occupant; and movie streaming services that can pick a movie based on mood of the viewer as sensed by the player. The future, truly, is now.

The second mega-trend was the blurring of lines between the auto industry and the electronics industry, highlighted in a stirring keynote by Ford CEO Mark Fields. Fields boldly stated that the automotive industry had moved from simply a product-based industry to a mobility industry, creating solutions for moving people on a global scale. From cures for traffic in Chennai and Chongqing, to mobile health solutions in Johannesburg, Fields gave a vision of a new world where auto tech utilizes data and connectivity from the Internet of Everything to create mobility solutions that mean more than just cars. In his vision, cars and technology intersect to provide answers to some of our most pressing problems. He also demonstrated how Ford is crowdsourcing these solutions and integrating them into product design for the next generation of Ford vehicles.

The third mega-trend introduced the theory of seamless movement from 2D to 3D and back again. The idea raised by HP Inc.’s new CEO Dion Wiesler was that by combining device-integrated 3D scanners, 3D printers, and new advances in material nanoscience, we can accomplish unbroken transitions between the 3D world that we inhabit and the 2D screen that we interact with. He demonstrated this concept with their new ‘Sprout’ device, which integrates 3D scanning and image manipulation with 3D printing capabilities, all in real time. It was also the first time I heard the consistent use of the word ‘voxel’ or ‘volumetric pixel’ to describe the movement from the 2D pixel on your screen into a 3D physical unit that can shape and reflect the space we inhabit.

I hope that I’ve whet your appetite to discover more about these trends and technologies, and that you’ll also notice that all of these concepts were driven by US companies. Along with EurekaPark, an area devoted just to start-ups, International CES confirmed that “American Innovation” is by no means dead, but alive, thriving, and on display for the world to see. Ma’salama from Saudi Arabia.

Ken Mouradian is the Director of the International Trade Administration’s Export Assistance Center in Orlando.

Our team can help you maximize export opportunities at trade shows.

You’re walking the floor at a major trade show and, glancing to your right, you see two people seated deep in their booth checking e-mails on their phones. This closed off demeanor wastes two precious resources their company invested on this show, time and money.

To get the best possible return on investment from your next trade show, here are six simple suggestions that don’t cost much money and will attract traffic to just about any booth:

Stand. Believe it or not, you seem more open to engagement if you’re standing, smiling, and looking at people as they pass. By contrast, people are reluctant to distract you when you appear busy by sitting.

Stage a conversation. If there are two of you in your booth, make it appear that one of you is learning about your company from the other. Believe it or not, people will look at something if someone else is looking; and for no better reason than that. This works less effectively if you’re wearing clothing that brands you as working for the same company or if you’re exhibiting alone.

Never leave your booth unattended. If you need to go to lunch or the bathroom, unless you’re alone, there should always be someone in your booth.

Raffles are better than hand-outs. People will take candy or pens without actually engaging with you. You can’t make connections and build a database if you don’t know who’s visiting your booth. You’ll get a lot more traffic to your booth if you raffle something of value – maybe something like a tablet – than you would otherwise. You’ll also be “buying” a contact list for the cost of the item that you’re raffling. For your raffle, it’s probably better to scan badges than to collect business cards because, to have their badges scanned, visitors to your booth will have to engage you. Also, for a raffle to work, people need to know about it, so advertise at your booth, conduct targeted mailings/e-mailings, and advertise in the show guide and directory.

Conduct targeted outreach BEFORE the show. If you have a customer list, mail/e-mail your customers to remind them of your presence at the show and your booth number. Similarly, you can purchase contact lists (from the U.S. Embassy, from private vendors) and send marketing collateral with your booth number to qualified potential buyers before the show. And, don’t forget to mention your raffle!

Advertise in the Export Interest Directory. Not every show participates in the International Buyer Program; however, for those that do, you can arrange one-on-one meetings with the leaders of foreign buyer delegations. If there’s a match to one of their delegates’ needs, they’ll bring their delegate to your booth to meet you. Similarly, foreign buyers use the Export Interest Directory to find potential suppliers. The easiest way to identify International Buyer Program shows is to contact your local U.S. Export Assistance Center.

Remember, trade shows are an investment of both money and time. Don’t waste either. Use these six tips to maximize your investment, and be sure to call your local Export Assistance Center to learn more about how to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.

PACK EXPO will have more than 26,000 attendees from 127 countries, discussing the latest trends in packaging and processing in sectors from automotive to prepared foods. More than 1,700 companies will be exhibiting, making this a great opportunity for businesses in the industry to make new business connections.

IBP will help U.S. companies get the most out of this trade show, arranging meetings with pre-screened international buyers, assessing market opportunities, and helping navigate customs and trade procedures. Come meet trade specialists and participate in meetings with foreign companies at PACK EXPO in Las Vegas this September!

Part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, IBP recruits thousands of qualified foreign buyers, sales representatives, and business partners to U.S. trade shows each year, giving U.S. companies excellent opportunities to expand business globally. We recently announced we’ll be bringing international buyers to 26 shows in 2014.

Here are some of the benefits of IBP services at PACK EXPO Las Vegas:

Participate in face-to-face meetings with pre-screened international buyers;

Save time and money by meeting international partners domestically;

Get tips from international trade specialists on doing business abroad;

Learn about trends and recent developments in the packaging and processing industries.

Stop by the International Business Center at PACK EXPO located in room S-224, and follow IBP updates on Twitter at @IBPExport. We expect more than 20 delegations from around the world at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, so we will have a lot of great information to share.

The International Buyer Program can help you maximize export opportunities at trade shows.

Your U.S. company may be looking to export but not know where to start. Good news: your chances of finding the right international business partner greatly increase by participating in a trade show that has been selected as a venue for the International Buyer Program (IBP).

Our program brings thousands of pre-screened international buyers to U.S. trade shows. So at an IBP-certified event, you’ll not only meet more international buyers, representatives and distributors, but your products and services will also be listed in the Export Interest Directory distributed to all international visitors to the show.

This makes your company and your products easy to find for potential customers. That will help you make more contacts, and maybe even more sales.

In addition to assistance from our experienced staff, you will also have access to an on-site International Trade Center, where your company can meet privately with prospective international buyers, sales representatives and business partners.

I am pleased to announce the 26 U.S. trade shows in 2014 to which the International Buyer Program (IBP) will bring prospective international buyers. Thanks to our rigorous competitive selection process, I am confident these 26 shows will provide excellent business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking venues for U.S. companies looking to expand their international sales to new markets, or to start exporting.

For those U.S. companies planning to exhibit at any of these shows, the IBP is a great way to maximize your trade show investment.

Some advantages of the IBP include:

U.S. companies meet pre-screened prospective buyers from around the world all in one domestic venue.

Last year the IBP recruited over 10,800 prospective buyers from international markets, resulting in 3,860 B2B and business-to-government sessions.

New online business matchmaking software program connects U.S. companies and foreign buyers, enabling them to contact each other and schedule meetings prior to the show.

The International Buyer Program is a joint government-industry effort designed to increase U.S. export sales by promoting international attendance at major U.S. industry exhibitions. The IBP provides practical, hands-on assistance to U.S. exhibitors interested in exporting and making contacts with prospective overseas trade partners. This assistance includes export counseling, marketing analysis, and matchmaking services.

Todd DeLelle is an international trade specialist in the International Trade Administration’s Office of Energy and Environmental Industries.

Commerce Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials will be participating in a series of collaborative activities to promote exports of U.S. environmental solutions during POWER-GEN International, the industry leader in providing comprehensive coverage of the trends, technologies and issues facing the generation sector. At this year’s show, EPA participation has been folded into the International Buyer Program, a joint U.S. government-industry effort designed to stimulate U.S. exports by promoting U.S. industry exhibitors to foreign markets. Department of Commerce and EPA representatives are meeting with power industry delegates from international markets and U.S. companies at the show’s Global Business Center.

The Department of Commerce and EPA continue to work together to promote U.S. technology exports by integrating EPA’s technical analysis into Commerce’s export promotion and trade policy activities. The two agencies lead The Environmental Export Initiative – an effort to enhance interagency efforts to support U.S. exports of technologies relevant to air emissions, water treatment, and solid waste management. The Initiative was publicly announced on May 14, 2012 at American University by then-Commerce Secretary Bryson, EPA Administrator Jackson, U.S. Trade Representative Kirk, and Secretary of Agriculture Vilsak. In 2010, the United States industry that supplies these goods and services generated an estimated $312 billion in revenue, employed 1.7 million Americans, and experienced a trade surplus of approximately $13 billion, according to Environmental Business International. Its export activities underpin the advancement of environmental quality and human health in other parts of the world, while supporting increased jobs and economic activity in the United States.

While at the show, Commerce and EPA officials will be touting the recently developed Environmental Solutions Exporter Portal. The portal represents a on-line resource for companies interested in U.S. government services and products that facilitate exports. It provides a direct line to U.S. trade and environmental protection specialists and includes information on foreign environmental markets, export facilitation services, export finance products, trade promotion events, and policy initiatives that support the U.S. technology exports.

The Portal also links EPA analysis of key global environmental issues with U.S. solutions providers in the U.S. Environmental Solutions Toolkit. Currently, the Toolkit includes modules on groundwater remediation, nutrient removal in municipal water treatment, emissions control from large marine diesel engines, and mercury control from power plant emissions. The addition of supplemental air pollution control areas is currently underway, including those relevant to: nitrogen oxides emissions control from power plants, air issues relevant to the oil and gas industry, and emissions from non-road diesel engines.

by Vidya Desai, an international trade specialist in the U.S. Commercial Service.

Trade show organizers interested in participating in the Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program (IBP) during 2013 have until October 31, 2011, to submit an application. Under the program, trade specialists from the International Trade Administration’s U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS) and the Department of State recruit and lead foreign buyer delegations to approximately 35 participating IBP shows in the United States.

IBP brings international buyers together with U.S. firms by promoting leading U.S. trade shows in industries with high export potential. This cooperative effort between the Department of Commerce and trade show organizers benefits U.S. firms exhibiting at selected events by providing them with practical, hands-on assistance, such as export counseling and market analysis by ITA’s country and industry experts; a listing in an “export interest” directory; and matchmaking services.

Show organizers participating in IBP also agree to provide access to an international business center at their shows, where representatives from exhibiting U.S. companies can meet privately with prospective international buyers, sales representatives, and potential business partners.

In 2010, IBP brought 13,000 foreign buyers and their representatives to U.S. trade shows.

The application period for participating in IBP during 2013 opened on September 1, 2011, and will close on October 31, 2011. Full details about the application procedures were published in the Federal Register (at 76 FR 54,428) on September 1, 2011. A copy of the Federal Register notice, the application form, and supplementary information are available on the Web at www.export.gov/IBP, or contact IBP by e-mail to request an application package: IBP2013@trade.gov.

The 2011 International CES concluded on Sunday, January 9, 2011 with preliminary figures reporting over 140,000 industry professionals in attendance at the show. This year’s CES experience a record number of international attendees with the International Buyer Program contributing 34 buyer delegations consisting of over 700 international attendees at the show!

In addition to bringing foreign buyers to the show, Commercial Specialists conducted over 110 meetings with interested U.S. exhibitors both on the show floor and in the International Commerce Center onsite. These meetings helped educate U.S. exhibitors about the relevant markets and how to get their products into these markets. Matchmaking meetings between U.S. exhibitors and recruited international delegates also took place during the show. Several delegates reported finding U.S. supplier leads at CES that will hopefully result in sales for U.S. companies at the show n in the coming months!